Engineering, General at Parkland College

Graduates of the Engineering, General program at Parkland College experience a significant earnings trajectory over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $32,272, which increases to $75,158 five years later and reaches $99,192 a decade post-graduation. When adjusting for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $81,871.46, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial position relative to their peers across the country despite the cost-of-living index in Illinois being slightly lower than the national average.

The primary industries that Parkland College graduates enter are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 41.7%, 39.7%, and 32.7% of graduates finding employment in this sector at different stages. This concentration suggests a strong alignment between the program and the growing demand for engineering skills in health-related fields. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 6.9 years, indicating a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this educational path, especially considering the robust earnings potential in the long term.